Internal-combustion engine.



v c. G. WELD. I m'rnnmu. oomsuswrou mama.

APPLICATION FILED 60115, 1908. 7 942,227, Patented Dec. 7, 1909.

2 SHEETBBHEBT 1.

C. G. WELD.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED 0OT.15, 1908.

942,227. 4 Patented Dec. 7, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Zzitmes s 66 CARLEY G. WELD, OF NORTH CHATHAM, MASSACHUSETTS.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Pat'ntedDec. 7, 1909.

Application filed October 15, 1908. Serial No. 457,813.

, is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in internal combustionengines' ofthat class in which a magneto is employed to generate the current ofelectricity to ignite the gas in thecylinders.

The object; of the invention is to provide means whereby when the engineis stopped with a charge of gas in one of its cylinders it may be'started without cranking, z'. 6.,

without rotating the crank shaft by hand.

To this end the invention consists primarily in an internal combustionengine having in combination an ignition apparatus comprising a magnetonormally in driving connection with amoving part of the engine, as forexample, being driven by suitable gearing from the crank shaft, therebeing means whereby the magneto armature may be disconnected from suchdriving connection so as to be rotated independently of the movingpartsof the engine, whereby a current of electricity 'may be generatedby the magneto and'conduct'ed tothe proper cylinder to cause theignition ofthe charge of gas-therein to start the engine.

The invention further consists in an engine having an ignition apparatusof the character described and the provision of means forautomaticallyeflecting an operative connection of the armature of the magneto withthemoving parts as soon as the engine has been started.

The invention finally consists in the com bination and arrangement ofparts set forth in the following specification and particularly pointedout in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of an internalcombustion engine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail sectionalelevation taken on line 2-2 o't' l ig. 1 looking toward the left.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail elevation, partly in section, of themagneto and the connection between the same and the gearing by which then'iagneto is driven, this view showing the partsin their normalposition; Fig. 4' is a detail sectional elevation taken on line 4+4 ofFig. 3, looking toward the left. Fig. 5

is a detail plan section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. Fig. 6 is a detailsectional elevation showing a portion of the mechanism illustrated inFig. 3, but with the clutch which connects the magneto shaft withitsdriving shaft thrown .out of engagement leaving the magneto armatureand armature shaft free to be rotated independently of the moving partsof the engine. Fig. 7 isa detail sectional elevation taken 011 line 77of Fig. 3, looking toward the left.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of thedrawings. In the drawings, referring now particularly to Fig. 1, theinternal combustion engine having my improved ignition apparat-nsapplied thereto may be of any suitable or desired type, but is)i'efcra-bly of the familiar n'nilti-cylinder type, in which cylinders10, 11, 1.2 and 13 are mounted upon a .crank case lfhaving journa-ledtherein a crank shaft 15, it being understood that the internalarrangement of cranks, connecting rods and pistons may be provided, allof which are wellknown to those-skilled in the art.

on the crank case 14, is mounted a magneto 16 which may be of anydesired type connected by wiring 17 to s ark plugs 19, 20, 21'and 22arranged in a amiliar manner in the headset t-he'cylinders 10, 11, 12and 13, respectively, it being understood that there may be any suitableor desired means for distributing the current to said spark plugs inrotation so as toignite the charges of gas in the cylinders.

The magneto 16 .com'prises an armature 23 of any suitable or desiredconstruction fast to an armature shaft 24, said shaft being journaled insuitable bearingsin an armature frame 25.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 3 to 7, inclusive, fast to thearmature shaft 24. is a clutch member 26 having two projecting lugs orteeth 27 which normally project into and interlock with correspondingdepressions or notches. 28 formed in a 1 second clutch member 29, saidsecond clutch member being journaled on the right hand end of thearmature shaft 24 and also journaled in a bearing 30 formed in a casing31.

The clutch member 29 is provided with a square hub 32 which projectsinto a cor-- responding square hole 33 formed in'ashaft 34 and havingsliding connection therewith.

On any suitable support, as for example,-

member 46 and cause the same to be rotated 39 bears at one end againstthe shoulder The shaft 34 which is journaled in suitable bearings in agear casing 35 has fast thereto a gear 36 located within said casing,said gear being operatively connected to the crank shaft 15, as by meansof an intermediate gear 37 meshing into said gear 36, said intermediategear meshing into a gear 38 fast to said crank shaft, it beingunderstood that the ratio of these gears is such as to rotate the shaft34 in proper time with the crank shaft of the engine, the gears 36 and38 being'in one to one ratio.

The hub 32 is provided with a cylindrical recess 39 extending thereintofrom the right hand end thereof, said recess terminating at its lefthand end at a shoulder 40. A helical compression spring 41 located inthe recess and at its other end against the head of a screw 42 havingscrew-threaded engagement with the armature shaft 24, said spring actingto normally hold the clutch member 29 in driving connection with theclutch member 26, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5.

The clutch member 26 carries two pins 43, 43 slidably arranged insuitable holes in said member to move longitudinally of the armatureshaft 24, said pins bearing at their right hand ends against the clutchmember 29, as clearly shown in Fig. 5, the left hand ends of said pinsbeing beveled to engage corresponding inclined surfaces 44 formed bydepressions or notches 45 formed in a clutch member 46 loosely mountedon the armature shaft 24.

The clutch member 46 constitutes a part of a familiar type of clutchknown as a ball or roller clutch, the second member 47 of said clutchbeing suitably journaled on the magneto frame 25. The member 47 isprovided with opposite holes 48, 48 extending thereinto from theperiphery thereof, said holes containing balls or rollers 49 which areadapted to engage the periphery of the member 46, the arrangement beingsuch that when the clutch member 47 is rotated clockwise, Fig. 7, saidballs engage the clutch in unison with the clutch member 47 in a wellknown manner, whereas on the other handif the clutch member-46 berotated clockwise the member 47 will not be rotated thereby. A retainingring 50 surrounding the member 47 prevents the balls 49 from falling outof their respective holes 48.

On the periphery of the member 47 is formed a spur gear 51 which ineshesinto a spur gear 52 fast to a shaft 53 journaled in the casing 31.flexible shaft 54 which is fast to a crank 55 located at any suitablepoint. Where the engine is used on a motor car the crank 55 willpreferably be journaled on the dash board of the car, shown in sectionat 56.

Formed on or fast to the clutch member Fast to the shaft 53 is a 29 is agear 57, said gear meshing into a gear 58 fast to a shaft 59, said shaftbeing journaled in a bearing 60 in the casing 31 and in a bearing 61 onthe magneto frame 25. The left hand end of the shaft 59 ex tends into adistributer casing 62 in which may be located any suitable or desiredtype of distributors, not shown, connected to said shaft, suchdistributers which are well known being employed for the purpose ofdistributing the current at the proper time to the various spark plugs,the gears 58 and 57 being in the ratio of two to one. It will be notedthat the width of face of the gear 57 is double that of the gear 58,this provision being made for the reason that the member 29 and the gear57 slide relatively to the gear 58, as will be hereinafter fullydescribed.

Having thus specifically described the ignition apparatus, 1 will nowproceed to describe its general operation. It will be understood thatthe parts normally occupy the relative positions shown in Figs. 3 and 5.Assuming that the engine has been stopped and that a charge of gasremains in one of the cylinders, the engine may be started in thefollowing manner. The operator grasps the crank 55 and rotates the samein the proper direction to cause the gear 52 to retate the gear 51clockwise, Figs. 4 and 7 the result being that the balls 49, 49 engagethe periphery of the clutch member 46 and cause the same to be rotatedin unison with the clutch member 47. As the clutch member 46 starts torotate the left hand ends of the pins 43 ride up the inclines 44 and aremoved thereby toward the right, said pins thus acting to force theclutch member 29 toward the right against the tension of the spring 41until the teeth 27 have been partially withdrawn.from the depressions ornotches 28. Referring to Figs. 3 and 6, it I ing to inclined faces 64formed on the ends of the teeth 27 so that when said teeth have beenpartially withdrawn from said notches the inclined faces 64 ride up onthe inclined faces 63 and the clutch members are then fully disengagedfrom driving connection, as shown in Fig. 6. Each of the inclines 44 onthe clutch member 46 terminates at one end thereof at a shoulder 65.Thus it will be seen that continued rotation of the clutch member 46after the clutch members 26 and 29have been disengaged resultsin thepins 43 bringing up against the shoulders 65, respectively, as shown inFig. 6, thereby ca'using the clutch member 26 to be rotated in unisonwith the clutch member 46 and consequently, rotating the armature shaft24 to which the clutch member 26 is'fast It will be understood that in afour or sin structed and arranged that when the motor is stopped thereis usually an electrical connection through the distributer to the sparkplug of the cylinder holding the compressed charge.

It will be observed that the gears 57 and 58 form at all times aconnection between the distributer and the crank shaft of the engine sothat the distributer is atall times properly positioned with respect tothe crank shaft and plstons regardless of the disconnection between .thearmature shaft and the crank shaft.

' One or two rotations of the crank are suflicient to'cause the magneto16 to generate the current necessary to ignite the charge of gas in oneof the cylinders whereupon the engine starts. When the engine starts,the rotation of the shaft 34 causes the clutch member 29 to be rotatedfaster than the clutch member 26 is being rotated by the hand of theoperator with thejresult that the notches 28 are carried into alinement'with their respective teeth 27 and the spring 41 acts to move said teethand notches into their normal operative engagement, as shown in Fig. 3,thereby causing the armature shaft 24 to be rotated by the power of theengine. It will be understood that the pins 43 will now ride down theinclines 44 and resume their'normal position, as seen in is will be seenthat owing to the provision of the ball or roller clutch the crank 55will not be rotated' by the en ine after the enginehas started to run. Te provision of the hereinbefore described means of disconnect" ing themagnetonarmature'and. rotating the same b hand power obviates'thenecessity of emp oying a set of batteries and induction coils forstarting theengine from the seat without cranking the en 'ne.

It will be understood that a though the current generator employed. isan alternating -cl-1rrent magneto, any other suitable generatormay'beemployed and it is to be understoodthat the invention not limited to'the use of a magneto and where the. word mag in combination, a movingpart adapted to be moved by-the explosion 'of the gas, ignitioninstrumentalities including a magneto neto-is used in the claims it willbe understood as meaning. a suitable enerator for the class of work forwhich t e apparatus is intended Havingthus described my invention, whatI claim-and desire by. Letters Patent to secure is: 4

1. An internal combustion engine having, in combination, a movingpartadapted to be moved by the explosion of the gas, ignitioninstrumentalities including a magneto having a rotatable member, aclutch adapted to operati'vely connect said rotatable member and saidmoving part, said clutch compris-.-

ing two members normally in driving connection so as to be incapable ofrelative rotation in either direction, an actuating member, and meansadapted to be operated by said actuating member to move one of saidclutch members longitudinally of its axis out of engagement with theother and rotate said rotatable member.

2. An internal combustion engine having, in combination, a movingpartadapted to be moved by the explosion of the gas, ignitioninstrumentalities including a magneto having a rotatable member normallyin driving connection with said moving part, a device capable of but alimited amount of rotation relatively to said rotatable member, and

means adapted to be operated by the rotation of said device todisconnect said rotatable member from said moving part and r0 tate saidmember.

3. An internal combustion engine having, in combination, a moving artadapted to be moved'by the explosion of the gas, ignitioninstrumentalities including a magneto having a rotatable member, aclutch comprising two members connected to said rotatable member andsaid moving part, respectively, said clutch members being normallyositively interlocked'so as to be incapab e of relative rotation ineither direction, an actuating member, and means ada ted ,tobe opcratedby said actuating mem er to disconnect said clutch members fromdrivin connection wit each other and rotate said rotatable member.

4. An internal combustion en ine having, in combination, a moving artadapted to be moved by the explosion o the gas, ignition.in-strumentalitiesincluding a magneto hav--- ing a rotatable member, aclutch comprising two members normally in driving connection with eachother, one of said clutch members being connected with said moving partand the other being connected to said rotatable member, a second clutch,and a device to actuate said second clutch to disconnect themembers ofsaid first-named clutch from each other, said device being adapted tosub- .sequently impart rotation through said secondclutoh to saidrotatable member.

5. An lnternal combnstlon engine having ond clutch comprising twomembers and a rotatable device interposed therebetween, anda deviceadapted to be 0 erated by the rotation of said second clutc to disengagesaid first-named clutch members from each other, said second clutchhaving means to subsequently rotate said rotatable member independentlyof said moving part.

"in combination, a moving part adapted to be 6. An internal combustionengine having in combination, a movlng part adapted to be moved by theexplosion of the gas, ignition member and adapted to hear at one endagainst said second-named clutch member, a second cl'utch comprising twomembers and a rotatable device interposed therebetween, one of saidmembers of said secondnamed clutch being provided with an inclined faceadapted when rotated to actuate said 'pin to movethe members of saidfirstnamedclutch out of driving engagement, said second-named clutchhaving means to subsequently rotate said rotatable member independentlyof said moving part, and said spring adapted to finally move the membersof said first-named clutch into operative engagement with each other.

7. An internal combustion engine having, in combination, a moving partadapted to be moved by the explosion of the gas, ignitioninstrumentalities including a magneto having a rotatable member normallypositively connected to said moving part, a device capable of but alimited amount of rotation relatively to said rotatable member, andmeans adapted to be operated by the rotation of said device todisconnect said rotatable member from said -moving part in combination,a moving part adapted to be moved by the explosion of the gas, ignitioninsti'umentalities including a magneto having a rotatable member,a,clutch. comprising two members normally positively interlocked, one ofsaid clutch members being connected to said moving part and the otherbeing'connected to said rotatable member, a device capable of but alimited amount of rotation relative to said second clutch memher, and asecond device adapted to be operated by said first-named device to causethe disengagement of said clutch members thereby permitting saidrotatable member to be rotated independently of said moving part. 9, Aninternal combustion engine having,

moved by the explosion of the gas, ignition instrumentalities includinga magneto having a rotatable member, a clutch adapted to operativelyconnect said rotatable member and said moving part, said clutchcomprising two members normally positively interlocked so as to beincapable of relative rotationin either direction, and a member adaptedwhenemoved to disconnect said clutch members from each other and rotatesaid rotatable member.

10. An internal combustion engine having, in combination, a moving partadapted to be moved by the explosion of the gas, ignitioninstrumentalities including a magneto having a rotatable member, aclutch comprising two members adapted to operatively connect saidrotatable member and said moving part, said clutch members beingnormally positively interlocked so as to be incapable of relativerotation in either direction, and a rotatable device adapted whenrotated to disconnect said clutch members from each other and rotatesaid rotatable member. p

11. An internal combustion engine having, 'in combination, a moving partadapted to be moved by the explosion of the gas, ignitioninstrumentalities including a magneto having a rotatable member, aclutch comprising two members normally in driving connection so as to beincapable of relative rotation in either direction, an actuating member,and means adapted to be operated by said actuatin member to disconnectsaid clutch members irom driving connection with each other and rotatesaid rotatable member.

12. An internal combustion engine having, in combination, a moving partadapted to be moved by the explosion of the gas, ignitioninstrumentalities including a magneto having a rotatable member, aclutch adapted to operatively connect said rotatable member and saidmoving part, said clutch comprising two members normally in drivingconnection so as to be incapable of relative r0- ation in eitherdirection, an actuating memher, and means adapted to be operated by saidactuating member to disconnect said clutch members-from each other, saidmeans being adapted to be operated by said actuating member to rotatesaid rotatable member.

13. An internal combustion engine having, in combination, a moving artadapted to be moved by the explosion o? the gas, ignitioninstrumentalities including a magneto having a rotatable member, aclutch comprising two members normally in driving connection so as to beincapable of relative rotation, one of said clutch members beingconnected to said moving part and the other being connected to saidrotatable member, a device capable of but a limited amount ofrotationrelatively to said second clutch member, and a second device adapted tobe operated by said first-named device to cause the disengagement ofsaid clutch. members thereby permitting said rotatable member to berotated independently of said moving part.

14. An internal combustion engine having, in combination, a moving partadapted to be moved by the explosion of the gas, ignitioninstrumentalities including a magneto having a rotatable member, aclutch comprising 130 two men'ibers normally in driving connection so asto be incapable of relative rotation,

one of said clutch members being connected to said moving part while theother is connected to said rotatable member, a device capable of but alimited amount of rotation relatively to said second clutch member, and

means carried by said second clutch member adapted to be actuated bysaid device to 10 cause the disengagement of said clutch members,thereby permitting said rotatable member to be rotated independently ofsaid moving part.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

. v CARLEY G. WELD.

Witnesses LOUIS A. JoNns, A NNIE J. DAILnY.

